Electrical connecting means



March l0, 1942. R, F, HQRTON ELECTRICAL coNNEcTING MEANS Filed Aprilv 20, 1939 INVENTOR.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2.275.762 ELECTRICAL CONNECTING MEANS Roger F. Horton, Hempstead. N. Y., signor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1939, Serial No. 268.884 Claims. (CI. 173-328) This invention relates to electrical apparatus away, showing the parts of Fig. 1 in assembled and more particularly to connecting and protectrelation. the section being taken substantially ing means adapted for connecting a plurality of along line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and along the axis of conductors in one or more circuits. the device; and

One of the objects oi the present invention is 5 Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing to provide novel means for connecting electrical in detail a portion ot the structure illustrated Fig. 2.

conductors. in

Another object of the invention is to provide A single embodiment of the present invention a novel device for electrically connecting conis illustrated in the drawing. by way of example.

ductors whereby the electrical contact between 1o in a suitable form for use in the circuit of a high nections may be made in asmall space with miniof cables of said system. A plurality of insumum losses resulting from corona-effect and lated Conductors 4. leading, for example, frOIn Creepagea shielding harness (not shown) for the ignition of conductors, the contact points at the con- Connector 0f the Present invention t0 a like numnectlons between each pan of conductors being 2o ber of insulated conductors 6 leading, for exinsulated from one another in a novel manner ample. t0 B distributor or magneto (not shown) respective members are compactly arranged pro- 26 NOVel Ineens in tlle ferm 0f a P1118 1 are DIO- ducing a connecting unit occupying a minimum vided for supporting the ends of conductors t Space in predetermined spatial relation to each other Still another object of the invention is to proand for exposing said ends for electrical contact. vide novel means whereby two conductors may AS, Shown, plug l comprises a metal Casing 0r be electrically connected. the contacting por- 30 cover l serving as a radio shield and having an nd receptacle which, when operatively assem- Which engges the ange of Said ferrule and two groups of conductors but which may be readknOWn in the Brt The main 0r body Portion 8a ily disconnected when des1red of cover l is larger than collar l and may be he above and other objects and novel features Cenieally Shaped With an external flange l2 of the invention will more fully appear from the formed et the Open end thereof.

following detailed description when the same is A block 0r matrix I3 0f suitable insulating read in connection with the accompanying drawmaterial Which is preferably resilient such as a In the drawing, wherein nke reference eherin number to the number of conductors 4, are acters refer to like parts throughout the several formed lnterelly with block I3, said members views; extending downwardly from said block, as viewed Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing in Fig. 2, and beyend the Open end 0f Casing s one form of device embodying the present'lnven- Conductors 4 are directed through the body of non; said block, each conductorv extending into one Fig. 2 is a sectional view, with partsbroken 55 0f Seid Projecting members il (Fig.2).

In order to locate conductors 4 centrally within projecting members I4 and to securely ilx said conductors within said members, a metallic sleeve I5 may he imbedded in each oi said members with the axis of the opening therethrough substantially coincident with the axis o( said member. To securely position sleeve I5 in member I4 the former are preferably shaped somewhat like a spool, having shoulders I6 formed at the ends thereof and having the portion intermediate said shoulders in close engagement with the material of said projecting member. As shown, the outer ends of sleeves l5 are flush with the outer ends oi members I4 and uninsulated portions of conductors 4 extend therethrough. The outer or exposed ends of said conductors are flared as at I1 for contact with conductors 5 and may be soldered or otherwise secured to prevent the withdrawal thereof from sleeve I5 and block I2.

A novel receptacle or socket I8, which is adapted to cooperate with the above described plug I in a novel manner, comprises a metallic casing I9 having 'external threads 20 at one end thereof and an internally threaded collar 2I of reduced diameter at the other end. A block 22 of suitable insulating material, such as Bakeiite," having a shape conforming to the dome shaped interior oi casing I9 is supported by the latter and is preferably fixed in said casing by a lock washer 23, said washer being inserted in a peripheral groove 24 in the wall of said casing. For the purpose of receiving projecting members I4, a plurality of conically shaped or tapered recesses 25 are provided in the 'face of block 22, said recesses comprising cone frustrums having slightly smaller base diameters than the frustrums constituted by said projecting members. The walls oi said recesses are also preferably inclined at a lesser angle than the walls of said members. Sleeves 26, similar in shape to sleeves I5, are preferably imbedded in block 22, one end of each of said sleeves forming a portion of the bottom wall of one of said recesses.

Conductors 6 are directed through collar 2I of casing I8 and are imbedded in block 22, the same being preferably molded therein. The ends oi' said conductors extend through sleeves 2S and are flared and soldered into contacting masses 21 which project beyond and cover a portion of the bottom surface of the recesses 25. A shielding conduit may be provided for conductors 5, a rigid conduit 28 being shown, said conduit is secured to casing I8 by threadedly engaging the interior of collar portion 2 I.

In order to operatively assemble plug 1 with receptacle I8 a knurled internally threaded sleeve or nut 29 having an inwardly extending flange III formed therewith is proxlded, said nut being adapted to operatively engage screw threads 2l on casing I8 with flange 30 thereof engaging flange I2 of casing B. When nut 28 is screwed tightly, casing 8 applies a compressive force to block I3 urging the same in the direction of block 22, and projecting members I4 are thus forced into recesses 25 and compressed or deformed to fit tightly into the latter. The pressure engagement between the walls of said recesses and said members, which is thereby produced, maintains spaces 3i between the ends of said members and the bottoms of said recesses substantially moisture-proof and air-tight. These hermetically sealed spaces are the chambers within which electrical connections between conductors 4 and B are made. The force applied by nut 29, in addition to sealing said chambers, 75

compresses masses I1 and 21 into tight engagement with each other and thus eIIectuates a very efficient electrical connection the ei'ilcicncy o( transmission oi which may be increased by increased compression, which in turn, is produced by tightening nut 29.

The novel connecting unit comprising plug 1, receptacle Il and nut 25 may be readily disconnected after assembly by unscrewing said nut and yet. during operation, the unit provides permanent and positive connections between high tension conductors which connections are not subject to corona effects" because of the high degree of insulation provided for each oi chambers 1I in which electrical contact takes piace. An exceptionally effective means for preventing the leakage of moisture into the contact chambers is provided by the yielding engagement between resilient projecting members I4 and the rigid walls of recesses 25. A further insurance against leakage and the undesirable eiiects thereof results from the provision of shielding casing l, I9.

There is thus provided a novel connector unil whereby a plurality of high tension conductors may be effectively connected to other conductors within a compact radio shielded device occupying comparatively little more space than the insulated conductors which are being connected. Furthermore, the chambers within which electrical contacts are made are impervious to moisture and each is very effectively insulated from all the others. In addition, a single means effects the hermetic seal of the contact spaces and produces a pressure contact between the conductors which insures that a connection of high conductivity will result.

Although only a single embodiment oi the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto. For example, it will now be apparent to one skilled in the art that the block having the projecting members may be formed from a rigid material while the block having the recesses may be formed from a resilient material or that both may be of the same material. Various other changes may be made in the design and arrangement of parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For a definition of the limits of the invention reference will be had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A radio shielded plug and receptacle for making a plurality of electrical connections comprising a block of insulating material having a plurality of resilient cone-like, non-concentric projecting portions thereon, a plurality of conductors extending through said block, each of said conductors having a terminal in the wail of one of said portions, an insulating matrix having tapered recesses provided therein for receiving said members, a plurality of conductors carried by said matrix, each of said conductors having a terminal in the wall of one of said recesses, and means engaging said block and said matrix to hold each of said portions in tight engagement with the walls of one of said recesses and to electricalhf connect the terminals of said conductors.

2. A radio shielded connector comprising a block of insulating material having a plurality of cone-like, non-concentric projecting members formed thereon, Va. plurality of conductors imbedded in and extending through said block,

each of said conductors having a terminal in the wall of one of said members, a block of insulating material having recesses formed therein for receiving said members, one of said blocks being formed of resilient material and the other of rigid material, a plurality of conductors imbedded in and extending through said last-named block, each of said conductors having a terminal in the wall of one of said recesses, and means engaging said blocks for forcing said members into said recesses to effect an electrical connection between said conductors.

3. In apparatus for making a plurality of electrical connections, a block of insulating material having a plurality of conically-shaped projecting members formed therewith, metallic sleeves imbedded in said members, each of said sleeves forming a portion of the end surface of one of said members, a set of conductors extending through said block, each of said conductors extending through one of said sleeves and having the end portion thereof exposed at the end of said sleeve, a block of insulating material having conically-shaped recesses formed therein, said recesses having a lesser maximum diameter than said members, at least one of said blocks being formed of resilient material, metallic sleeves imbedded in said last-named block, each of said last-named sleeves forming a portion of the bottom surface of one of said recesses, a set of conductors extending through said last-named block, each of said last-named conductors extending through one of said last-named sleeves and having the end portion thereof exposed at the end of said sleeve, and means encasing said blocks and applying a pressure thereto to force said members into tight engagement with the walls of said recesses and to press the extending end portions of the conductors of said sets into electrical contact.

4. A radio shielded plug and receptacle for making a plurality of electrical connections comprising a plug consisting of a matrix having a plurality of frustro-conical projections extending from one side thereof, a metallic sleeve imbedded in the outer end of each of said projections and a group of conductors imbedded in said matrix, each of said conductors having an end portion extending through and secured to one of said sleeves, a receptacle consisting of a matrix of insulating material having a plurality of recesses in one side thereof for receiving said projections, the diameter of each of said recesses at the surface of said receptacle being less than the maximum diameter of the corresponding one of said projections, a group of metallic sleeves imbedded in the receptacle matrix, one end of each of said last named sleeves forming at least a portion of the end wall of one of said recesses, a group of conductors imbedded in said receptacle matrix, each of said last-named conductors having an end portion extending through and secured to one of said last-named sleeves, a tubular metallic casing surrounding each matrix, and a nut having an internal flange engaging one of said casings and threads engaging the other of said casings whereby said casings are mechanically connected and the conductors of said first-named group are held in electrical contact with the conductors of said secondnamed group.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a plug comprising a matrix of resilient insulating material having a plurality of conically-shaped projecting members formed therewith, a metallic sleeve imbedded in the outer end of each of said members, a group of conductors imbedded in said block and extending through and secured to said sleeves, one of said conductors terminating at the end of each of said members and a casing surrounding said block, a receptacle comprising a block of insulating material having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving said projecting members, a metallic sleeve imbedded in said last-named block adjacent each of said recesses, a conductor extending through each of said last-named sleeves and terminating at the bottom of one of said recesses, and an externally threaded casing surrounding said lastnamed block, and a nut member having a flange formed therewith, said nut member being adapted to threadedly engage one of said casings and having an internal flange engaging an external flange on the other of said casings for forcing said members into said recesses to hold the conductors of one of said groups in contact with the conductors of the other of said groups.

' ROGER F. HORTON. 

